Shame on the chess world

Why should these chess players from poor african countries go through such "suffering" in order to play chess? Why can't Fide - instead of having their issues sitting in their comfortable soft chairs, having the time of their life - spend money in supporting these players! Why can't the rich countries not contribute X-amount of money to help these players. What is the exchange rate of a dollar/pound to their currency? Nothing!

According to the currency converter:

1.00 ZMK = 0.000119921 GBP

They needed 75 000 000 ZMK for a TEAM

75,000,000.00 ZMK = 14,778 USD = 8,994 GBP

£8,994÷7 (7 members in their team)=£1285 (rounded)

So, if every chess player in the world (including players like me and you) contributes $1.5 or 1£ to a chess body that supports these players, they can all go and play and have the opportunities the "western" players also have!

ZAMBIA’S participation at the Africa Individual Chess Championship is hanging in balance following the Chess Federation of Zambia’s failure to raise K75 million needed to send a seven-member squad to Libya.

CFZ president Francis Daka said in Lusaka yesterday that the national chess governing body had not raised the funds needed for the trip to Tripoli.

Daka said he will tomorrow meet officials at the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development to seek financial assistance.

He said the federation could not even camp the team due to financial constraints.

“We’re still struggling to raise the money. Our hope now is on Government to bail us out so that we can send the team for the Africa Individual Chess Championship,” Daka said.

He urged individual players to continue preparing for the championship in their respective zones.The CFZ need K75 million to send the team to Libya.“When we get funding, Amon Simutowe will fly directly to Libya,” Daka said.

Nase Lungu, Daniel Jere, Andrew Kayonde, Epah Tembo and Merab Tembo are the other players that will represent the country at the continental championship.CFZ general secretary, Francis Mubanga, asked corporate organisations to come to the aid of the team.

“We’re asking the people we have approached for support to come to our aid because on our own, we can’t manage to raise K75 million,” Mubanga said.The Africa Individual Chess Championship will run from July 20 to 30 in Tripoli.